JERUSALEM

The Port of Eilat in southern Israel plans to lay off half of its workforce this week due to Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, its chief executive officer said on Sunday.

“Eilat Port is Israel's southern gateway to the Far East, Australia, and Africa,” Gideon Golber told Israeli daily Maariv.

“All activity stopped because ships could no longer pass in any direction to reach Eilat Port or travel towards Europe through the Suez Canal. Therefore, the port halted its operations and income stopped,” he added.

Golber said the port will lay off 50% of its workers this week due to its economic losses.

According to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the port has incurred losses of 50 million shekels ($13.61 million).

Currently, approximately 120 people are employed at the port.

The Houthis have been targeting ships that are Israeli-owned, flagged, operated or headed to Israeli ports in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, where nearly 39,000 people have been killed in a deadly Israeli offensive since Oct. 7, 2023.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi